this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2023
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[Video] Is Veganism Really the Answer? (www.youtube.com)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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In this Our Changing Climate video essay, I look at the validity of vegan and plant-based diets as a solution to climate change. I dive into the human and planetary toll of the meat industry, looking at the massive emissions toll of beef production as well as the exploitative conditions in meat processing plants. Ultimately, I consider whether veganism is an effective tool to dismantling the meat industry and mitigating climate change.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Also it's very nearly a pointless debate.

Global meat consumption IS going to increase over the course of the next century. This trend is already happening and it isn't going to reverse any time soon.

On the horizon of history, perhaps we will be able to lab-grow meat efficiently or there will be some global change of consciousness on the issue, But if we're relying on veganism to solve climate change, that means we're not going to solve climate change. The models we build MUST account for the increase in meat production that is going to happen just as surely as they already account for the increases in energy consumption that are going to happen.

I enthusiastically support anyone choosing to themselves go vegan for whatever reason, be it ethical, health, financial, or whatever. It's clear it is a lower-impact way to live and we should all strive to lessen our impacts. But Betteridge's Law of Headlines applies here.

I'll bet when I get to this video in my Nebula queue it is going to say much the same.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Global meat consumption IS going to increase over the course of the next century. This trend is already happening and it isn't going to reverse any time soon.

No, the yield of crops is slowly collapsing. There are already countries refusing to export their crops.

We will become vegan, by choice or by lack of meat.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

@admiralteal whether we can switch that to lab grown remains to be seen.

@Athena5898

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

"lab grown meat" is an unfunny joke designed to deter us from the real efforts required to be made.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I also don't think veganism can help here, but limited resources and price can.

I work in agriculture, meat just takes too much of our limited resources. There is not enough of arable land and efficiency of land use might increase with gaining knowelage and GMO, but can also decrease because we have to preserve soil (which is currently destroyed) and reduce usage of fertilizers.